Hinge



Jan. 24, 1956 H J, wys 2,732,457

VIBRAIOR MECHANISM Filed May 10, 1954 I N V E N TO R Her/arm J. WakeATTORNEY United States Patent VIBRATOR MECHANISM Herman J. Wise,Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to P. R. Mallory & Co., Inc., Indianapolis,Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application May 10, 1954, Serial No.428,399

11 Claims. (Cl. 200-90) This invention relates generally to electricaltranslating apparatus and has particular reference to such means andmethods including translating apparatus for transferring energy betweendirect and alternating current circuits.

interrupter devices, more generally known as vibrators, have beenextensively used for converting direct current energy into alternatingcurrent energy or into direct current energy of a different voltage. Inthe usual form of these vibrators, a reed contact bearing arm usuallymakes contact with a substantially fixed side contact member at afrequency depending upon the operation of the reed member. It is adesideratum in the operation of all these vibrators to obtain highcontact pressure so as to aid in the efiiciency of the operativecharacteristics of the vibrator.

The present invention is directed toward constructing a small, highcontact pressure interrupter or vibrator wherein novel features areemployed to obtain higher contact pressures. The vibrator is constructedfor low cost production as well as for efficient operation. The highcontact pressure is accomplished by increasing the ratio of effectivereed length to the effective reed arm length. This ratio will behenceforth called the A ratio for convenience. In the usual case toobtain a high A ratio, the reed must be made longer or the reed armshorter, neither of which is desirable or practical. In the presentinvention, however, the ratio is made high without changing either theeffective reed length or the reed arm length.

It has been discovered by the applicant that by novelly mounting thereed and reed arm and utilizing a specific position of the hinge pointabout which the reed and reed arm swings, then the ratio for highcontact pressure may be increased while the length of the reed arm andthe reed remain the same. The positioning of the reed arm with respectto its associated reed as taken from a predetermined hingepointaccomplishes the desired increase of the high contact pressure ratio.

It is therefore a prime object of the present invention to provide anovel vibrator in which high contact pressure may be obtained while thereed arm and reed length remain substantially unaltered.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means in avibrator for increasing the contact pressure without changing either,the effective reed or the reed arm length of the vibrator.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide means in avibrator for increasing the effective reed length to the effective reedarm length, thus to provide a high contact pressure type of vibratorwhose overall dimensions for achieving such a high contact pressure issubstantially less than heretofore obtainable.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a small highcontact pressure vibrator at a low cost of production and which operatesat a high degree of efficiency.

Another objectifof the-present inventionisto provide a a novel vibratorwhich has high contact pressure and does 2,732,457 Patented Jan. 24,1956 not have excessive contact material transfer due thereto, butrather results in less contact wear and more power therein and providesless danger of contact locking.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novelvibrator needing less power to drive the mechanism, having fewer parts,good dimensional stability, more eflicient drive, less shake and noiseand wherein the overall size of the vibrator is smaller for itsequivalent power handling ability.

The invention, in another of its aspects, relates to novel features ofthe instrumentalities described herein for teaching the principal objectof the invention and to the novel principles employed in theinstrumentalities whether or not these features and principles may beused in the said object and/or in the said field.

Other objects of the invention and the nature thereof will becomeapparent from the following description considered in connection withthe accompanying figures of the drawing and wherein like referencecharacters describe elements of similar function therein and wherein thescope of the invention is determined rather from the dependent claims.

Referring now to the figures of the drawing:

Figure l is a front elevational view of an embodiment of the inventionuseful in showing the constructional arrangement thereof;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the vibrator invention shown inFigure 1 adapted to show the novel hinge arrangement of the side reed.arm and the reed whereby the high contact pressure is obtainabletherein;

Figure 3 is a side-elevational view of the reed utilized in the presentinvention;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a reed arm associated with saidreed of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of one of the vibrator frames usedin the construction of the present novel high contact pressure vibratorand as including a fixed side contact integrally connected to said oneframe; Figures 3, 4 ond 5 together being an exploded view adapted toshow the positional and constructional arrangement of one side of thepresent embodiment of a high contact pressure vibrator; and

Figures 6 and 7 are comparison representations useful in depicting thebasis for the reed and reed arm ratio shown for the usual vibrator ascontrasted with the increase in this ratio by the construction thereofshown in the present new and improved high contact pressure vibrator.

Generally speaking, the present invention discloses means and method forproviding a high contact pressure vibrator without the necessity forincreasing the length dimensions of either the reed or reed arm or both.in previous devices, such attempts to obtain an increased contactpressure resulted in enlarging the overall physical dimensions of thevibrator causing greater costs in material and assemblies.

In the present invention, however, since the contact pressure depends onthe ratio of effective reed length to the effective reedarm length, thisincreased ratio was obtained by reconstructing the vibrator andproviding a hinge mounting which allowed this greater ratio to beaccomplished without necessitating the enlargement of the physicalcharacteristics of the components therein. The vibrator as so novellyconstructed utilizes an especially configured reed, reed arm andintegrally constructed fixed contact, contact arm and frame, as one halfthereof. Each half, that is either the left or right half, is adapted toface its cooperating half, thus to comprise the entire vibratorassembly.

' In Figs. 1 and 2, there are generally shown face and side viewsrespectively of the high contact pressure type vibrator of the presentinvention. The vibrator 10 in- 7 battery.

eludes two unitarily formed, thin-framed structures 11 and 12 which areadapted to be placed back to back to each other with each generallyhaving the configuration as shown in Figure 5. Each frame is essentiallythe same shape as its fellow, except for the fact that one of the framesis adapted to have a tongue 13 depending from the center of ahorizontally extending fiat, half-disc-lilte portion or head 14. Thistongue or hook is adapted to end in a pole piece 16 which penetrates thecenter of a vibrator driver coil 17 adapted to be suitably mountedthereabout, as by means of discs 18, 19 and to be driven by a D. C.current supplied from a suitable source, such as As is usual in vibratorstructures, the pole piece is adapted upon excitation of the vibratorcoil to activate a cooperating armature 20 which is situated at the freeend of a reed 21, shown in Figure 3, and as will hereinafter bedescribed.

Each head portion 14, 35, of the frame as noted, has a substantiallyhemispherical outline ending in stepped portions 23, 24 at each endthereof. Each head portion is seen to be bent outwardly from two thinside walls, such as 25, 25' and 26, 26' of each frame, which side wallsare substantially spaced from each other on each individual frame, withthe head portion being horizontal with respect to said frames and beingbent substantialiy 90 thereto While being integrally connectedtherewith.

Somewhat down on each of these separate side walls of the frame, forexample at approximately a distance of one third the length of theframe, convoluted U-shaped concave sections, such as 27, 28 are bentoutwardly in the frame. Since the frames are adapted to be placed toback to each other, the concavities bent in each of the frames cooperateto give the form of a flat large case letter O at the bending point 29in the two frames. Second sections 39, 3t) and 31, 31' in each of thethin side walls of each of the frames are also bent therefrom to formsinuated step portions. At the end of these individual sinuated stepportions, horiozntally extending foot sections 37, 38 also generally ofhemispherical sh ape, are bent substantially in the same plane as thatof the head portions above described. The foot sections may be aperturedso as to accept electric lead wires for connection to the contact armsof the vibrator.

Each of the frames, such as for example, frame 12, has steps 31, 31'integrally interconnected by a vertically extending end 40. This end hasa centrally positioned and integrally joined fixed side contact arm 41having a tapered configuration stamped therefrom. Contact arm 4-1 has abase section 42 and a neck section 43 slightly bent away or angulatedwith respect thereto. A contact 45 is adapted to be placed at the top ofthe neck portion and insulated from it by insulating washers 47, one oneach side of the neck portion, which serve to insulate the contactelectrically from the neck portion. Lug 48 serves to connect lead wireto contact. side arm 41 has an aperture or window 44 formed therein.

As shown in Figures 2 and 5, particularly, each reed arm and reedassembly, for example, reed 21 together with reed arm 50, is adapted tobe riveted together at their substantially rectangular bottom ends 51and 52 as juxtaposed and fitted against each other. Then each of theseassemblies, comprising the reed and reed. arm, is adapted to be securedto and mounted as against frame 12 by means of hanging or suspensiontongues 73 and 74, individually contained or welded between frames 11and12.

Reed arm 50, which may be fabricated of molybdenum stock, as seen,comprises a thin rectangular bottom end 52, a tapered mid-section 53 anda rounded contact end 54 all integrally interconnected. Section 53 isslightly angulated with respect to corresponding end 52 so as to givearm a. keyholeconfiguration.

.Reed 21, which. may be fabricated of spring steel, comprises a bottomend 51, to which are integrally joined suspension tongues 73 and 74 eachhaving, a rectangular top portion 55, 55 joined to each side of the end51 by means of neck. sections 56, 56. A. main reed section 58.

Fixed contact bearing is connected to end 51 substantially at the centerthereof. This main reed. section has its sides 6!) and 61 convergingtoward its free end 63 which is of general rectangular configuration. Atits free swinging end 63 an armature weight 20, of similar shape tocorresponding end 63 is attached thereto as by being welded at points 64and 65.

As stated, the assembly of the vibrator comprises two substantiallysimilar halves, wherefor the description here given for the right halfside of the vibrator will also apply to the left half side, making itunnecessary to repeat the description for the latter half.

Each assembly of half the vibrator is placed back-toback to each otherso thatwhen reed 21, reed arm 59, and frame 12 are assembled together toits corresponding assembly for the other half, then the vibrator soassembled will appear as shown in Fig. 2, so as to give a new type ofbinge mounting allowing for the small high contact vibrator having theefiicient operation of the present vibrator. This is diagrammaticallyillustrated for operation purposes in Figure 7, as compared with theusual hinge mounting relationship shown in Figure '5.

The basis for the construction of the small high contact pressurevibrator of the present invention can be illustrated by referring toFigures 1, 6 and 7. The high contact pressure of the novel vibrator isaccomplished by increasing the ratio of effective reed length to theeffective reed arm length. For convenience, we shall call this the Aratio. Referring to Figures 6 and 7, it is [1/12. Normally to obtain ahigh A ratio the reed would have to be made longer or conversely thereed arm made shorter. Neither of these expedients is practical ordesirable.

In great contradistinction to these alternatives, above expressed, the Aratio is made high in the present novel vibrator without changing eitherthe effective reed length or the reed arm length. This is accomplishedby changing the hinge position as shown in Figure 7.

It is seen that the effective reed length, l, is the same in both cases.Also the'reed arm C2 is the same length in both cases. But the ?A ratiois greater in Figure 7 due to 12 being shorter, as can be seen from thefigures. For a given thickness, length, and width of C2, there will be agreater deflection of C2 in Figure 7 than in Figure 6. This means thereed amplitude will be greater for a given driving force (assuming thesame reed and weight parameters in both cases). This will tend to offsetthe expected poorer contact spacing characteristics of the vibrator represented by Figure 7. Due to the greater amplitude, the velocity will begreater at a given frequency. This means that a thinner reed and lighterweight will give the same energy storage as the conventional system withheavier parts, and still give good contact pressure.

Thus, there are several advantages in operation obtained through thenovel construction shown in the present vibrator. For example, there isno contact wiping action or shear. This is accomplished by the new hingeposition. The hinge is now at the exact center of the reed arm movement.C2 now acts as the radius of a circle with the center at the hinge pointand the circumference as the are made by the contact end. This resultsin less contact wear and less power loss. Furthermore, it has been foundthat transfer of contact material is not excessive due to this higherpressure. Further, even with some transfer, there is less danger ofcontact lockup. Again, in the construction of the vibrator, molybdenumstrip stock is used in fabricating the reed arms. This saves the cost ofwelding on contacts and also requires less driving power due to thelighter reed arm contact system. This lighter mass of the moving partsalso reduces the energy of free oscillation of the contact arms atbreak, making this easier to control. In addition, less power isrequired to drive the mechanism. This is accomplished, as explainedabove, by the use of lighter moving parts, no wiping action of thecontacts, and more compliant reed. It is apparent further that theoverall size of the vibrator is made substantially smaller for anequivalent power handling ability. This is accomplished by theelimination of the stack and by the new hinge position and also, by thereduction in energy storage and power required. The vibrator, further,has good dimensional stability because of the elimination of the usualstack construction.

The present vibrator is simply constructed, calling for fewer parts andgives less shake and noise as a result of the use of lighter movingparts with low impact mass of the contacts. Again, the instantconstruction gives a more eificient drive as a result of the lowreluctance path for the flux from the coil, and low flux leakage. Due tothese factors, and to the fact that the mechanism requires less power,the coil is much smaller and requires much less copper therein.

The novel small high contact pressure vibrator, as described above, isintended to be merely illustrative and not exhaustive and since manychanges could be made herein without departing from the scope of theinvention, it is intended that these changes be included here.

What is claimed is:

l. A small vibrator mechanism comprising a plurality of frames placedback to back, each of said frames having a fixed contact arm connectedthereto adapted to have a contact thereon, a reed contact arm having acontact-making face for making contact with said fixed contact arm, avibrating reed having an armature, said reed and reed arm adapted to beconnected together, said reed further being adapted to be mountedbetween said frames of said vibrator, a driver coil for said mechanism,and a vibrator pole piece connected to one of said frames and adapted toactivate said armature upon the excitation of said driven coil wherebyhigh contact pressure is obtained between said contacts. I

2. A small vibrator mechanism comprising a plurality of frames, each ofsaid frames having thin side walls, a top head portion substantiallyhaving a hemispherical shape interconnecting both said side walls, and abottom foot portion substantially of the same shape interconnect ing theopposite ends of said side walls, each of said frames further having afixed contact arm connected thereto adapted to have a contact thereon, areed contact arm having a contact-making face for making contact withsaid fixed contact arm, a vibrating reed having an armature, said reedand reed arm adapted to be connected together, said reed having tonguemeans adapted to be connected to said frames of said vibrator so as tosupport said reed and reed arm thereby, a driver coil for saidmechanism, and a vibrator pole piece connected to one of said frames andadapted to activate said armature upon the excitation of said drivencoil whereby high contact pressure is obtained between said contacts.

3. A small vibrator mechanism comprising a plurality of thin,longitudinally extending frames placed back to back, each of said framesfurther having a fixed contact arm connected thereto and bent awaytherefrom adapted to have a contact thereon, a tapered reed contact armhaving a fiat contact-making face for making contact with said fixedcontact arm, a vibrating reed having an armature, said reed and reed armadapted to be connected together at one end thereof to form a hingeabout which both said reed and reed arm may be moved, said reed furtherbeing adapted to be hung between said frames of said vibrator by a pairof metal tongues, a driver coil for said mechanism, and a vibrator polepiece connected to one of said frames and adapted to activate saidarmature upon the excitation of said driven coil whereby high contactpressure is obtained between said contacts.

4. A small vibrator mechanism comprising a plurality of frames placedback to back, each of said frames having thin side walls beingsubstantially spaced from each other, a top head portion and a bottomfoot portion interconnecting said thin side walls, both said portionsextending from said frame at substantially ninety degrees thereto, eachof said frames further having a fixed con tact arm connected theretosubstantially at the bottom end thereof adapted to have a contactthereon, a reed contact arm having a contact-making face for makingcontact with said fixed contact arm, a vibrating reed having anarmature, said reed and reed arm adapted to be connected together, saidreed further being adapted to hang between said frames of said vibrator,a driver coil for said mechanism, and a vibrator pole piece connected toone of said frames and adapted to activate said armature upon theexcitation of said driven coil whereby high contact pressure is obtainedbetween said contacts.

5. A small vibrator mechanism comprising a plurality of thin,longitudinally extending frames placed back to back, each of said frameshaving thin, lengthwise extending side walls substantially separatedfrom each other, said walls being interconnected at each end by head andfoot semi-circular discs respectively, said discs extending outwardlyfrom said frames in a horizontal plane, each of said frames furtherhaving a fixed contact arm integrally connected thereto and slightlyoffset therefrom adapted to have a contact thereon, a reed contact armhaving a contact-making face for making contact with said fixed contactarm, a vibrating reed having an armature, said reed and reed arm adaptedto be connected together at one end thereof to form a hinge about whichboth said reed and reed arm may be moved, said reed further beingadapted to be mounted between said frames of said vibrator, a drivercoil for said mechanism and a vibrator pole piece connected to one ofsaid frames and adapted to activate said armature upon the excitation ofsaid driven coil whereby high contact pressure is obtained between saidcontacts.

6. A small vibrator mechanism comprising a plurality of thin,longitudinally extending frames placed back to back, each of said frameshaving a fixed contact arm connected thereto substantially midway onsaid frame and adapted to have a contact thereon, a reed arm made ofmolybdenum having a contact-making face for making contact with saidfixed contact arm, a vibrating reed having an armature placed at itsfree end, said reed and reed arm adapted to be connected together toform a hinge at said other end of said reed, tongue means for said reedadapted to mount the same between said frames of said vibrator, a drivercoil for said mechanism, and a vibrator pole piece connected to one ofsaid frames and adapted to activate said armature to move said reed andreed arm upon the excitation of said driven coil whereby high contactpressure is obtained between said contacts.

7. A small vibrator comprising a pair of frames each includingoppositely disposed thin side and end walls, head and foot sectionsconnected to said end walls, said pair of frames placed back to back,each of said frames having aside fixed contact carrying means integrallyformed of and bent out from one of the individual end walls thereof, areed contact carrying arm, a reed having an armature at its free end,said reed and reed arm being joined together by a hinge, a driver coiladapted to be suitably current excited, a pole piece extending thereinadapted to have a magnetic flux induced therein by said driver coil soas to actuate said armature, and mounting means connecting said reed andreed arm to each of said individual frames whereby When said armature isactivated said reed and reed arm is adapted to move and provide highcontact pressure in said vibrator.

8. A small vibrator comprising a pair of frames each includingoppositely disposed thin side and end walls, said side walls each havinga U-shaped bend made therein so as to provide a means of adjusting thepole air gap and to provide a means of visibly inspecting said gap,semi-circular head and foot disc-like sections connected to said endwalls, said pair of frames placed back to back, each of said frameshaving a side fixed contact carrying means integrally formed of and bentout from one of the individual end walls substantially at the centerthereof, a tapered reed contact carrying arm, a reed having an armatureweight at its free end, said reed and reed arm being joined together bya flat hinge, a driver coil adapted to be suitably current excited, apole piece extending therethrough. adapted to have a magnetic fluxinduced therein by said driver coil so as to actuate said armature, andmounting means connecting said reed and reed arm to each of saidindividual frames whereby when said armature is activated said reed andreed armis adapted to move and provide high contact pressure in saidvibrator.

9. A smallvib'rator comprising a pair of frames each includingoppositely disposed thin side and end walls, said side walls each havinga U-shaped bend 'rnade therein so as to provide a means of adjusting thepole air gap and to provide a means of visibly inspecting said gap, halfdisc-like head and foot sections connected to said end walls, said pairof frames placed back to back, each of said frames having a side fixedcontact carrying means connected thereto at one of the individual endwalls thereof, a tapered reed contact carrying arm, a reed having anarmature'at its free end, said reed and reed arm being joined togetherby a hinge, the ratio of said reed length to reed arm length beingincreased thereby over that which heretofore existed for a vibrator ofsimilar dimension, a driver coil adapted to be suitably current excited,a pole piece extending therein adapted to have a magnetic flux inducedtherein by said driver coil so as to actuate said armature, and tonguemounting means connecting said reed and reed arm between each of saidindividual frames whereby when said armature is activated said reed andreed arm is adapted to move about said hinge in accordance with said newratio above established and to provide high contact pressure in saidvibrator.

10. A small vibrator comprising a pair of frames each includingoppositely'disposed thin side and end walls, head and foot sectionsconnected to said end walls, the connections of said individual footsections being made by step portions respectively, said pair offramesplaced back to back, each of said frames having a side fixed contactcarrying means integrally formed of and bent out from one of theindividual end walls thereof, a reed contact carrying arm fabricated ofa thin molybdenum sheet, a reed of spring steel having an armatureweight placed at its free end, said reed and reed arm being furtherjoined together by a hingeat saidother end of said reed, a driver coiladapted to be suitably current excited, a'pole pie ce extendingcentrallytherethrough' adapted to have a magneticfiux induced therein by saiddriver coil so as to V 11. it small vibrator comprising a pair of frameseachincluding oppositely disposed thin side and end walls,

head and foot'sections connected to said end walls, the

connections of-said individual foot sections being made by sinuated stepportions respectively, said pair of frames placed back to back, each ofsaid frames having a side fixed contact carrying means integrally formedof and bent out from one of the individual end walls thereof, a reedcontact'carrying arm, a. reed having an armature placed at its free end,said reedand reed arm being joined together by a hinge at the other endof said reed, a driver coil adapted to be suitably current excited, apole piece cooperating therewith adapted to have a magnetic iiux inducedtherein by said driver coil so as to actuate said armature, and mountingtongues connecting said reed and reed arm'to each of said individualframes, said hinge which joins said reed to said reed arm adapted tohang between said foot sections of said vibrator to provide a novelpivot point about which said reed and reed arm may move While increasingthe reed to reed arm ratio, whereby when said armature is activated saidreed and reed arm is adapted to provide optimum high contact pressure insaid vibrator.

References Cited in the file or this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,009,892 Leece July 30, 1935 2,164,632 Barrett July 4, 1939 2,200,064James May 7, 1940 2,247,469 Barrett July 1, 1941 2,468,991 Mas May 3,1949 2,483,085 Coake Sept. 27, 1949 2,659,786 Hufnagel Nov. 17, 1953

